Faucet sealing

ABSTRACT

A faucet improvement including a seat defining a bore, and a valve stem movable toward and away from the seat, comprising a shoulder screw threadably attachable to the stem, and having a head located in the bore, a shank, and a non-metallic O-ring extending about the screw shank to be retained in the bore between the screw head and the valve stem, the O-ring sized to seal off between the shank and the bore.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to sealing of faucets, when closed, andmore particularly to replacement of seals in faucets, to achievesuperior sealing performance.

In the past, faucet seals were typically flat-sided, annular in shape,for pressing of a flat side against an annular metallic seat; or washer,when the seal was displaced axially as during faucet closing. Suchannular, flat-sided seals depended upon substantial axial force exertionof a valve stem to develop seal deformation and sealing, and such forceexertion increased the development of rubbing friction at interengagedrubber and metallic pressure transmitting surfaces, during relativerotation of such surfaces. Repeated faucet opening and closing often ledto unwanted early wear and seal failure. A long felt need has existedfor a solution to such conventional faucet seal wear and requiredreplacement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a major object of the invention to provide improved faucet sealingmeans, offering a solution to the above difficulties, and a means forimproving the sealing of conventional faucets.

A further object includes provision of a valve stem metallic lateral andannular surface engaging the seat, radially outwardly of the top levelof an O-ring seal. The valve stem typically defines a metallic skirtsurrounding the metallic seat.

An added object includes provision of an elastomeric O-ring the radiallyoutermost extent of which engages the flow bore, below the level of themetallic seat, which is engaged by the stem under-surface to define ametal-to-metal annular seal therewith. Two seals are thereby provided; ametal-to-metal annular seal and an elastomer-to-metal seal, within thebore. In this regard, an O-ring retention screw head typically defines aflat annular retention surface directly below the annular extent of theO-ring; and that flat annular surface has a periphery directly belowabout ⅔ of the bulk of the O-ring, whereby water pressurized deflectionof the seal is upwardly and outwardly away from the screw head, andtoward the metal-to-metal seal.

The invention also contemplates a method of repairing a faucet having aseat defining a bore, a valve stem, a flat annular seal to engage theseat above the bore, and a retention screw, the method including:

-   -   i) removing the retention screw and removing the existing        annular seal,    -   ii) installing an elastomeric O-ring seal on the shank of screw,        or a replacement screw, the O-ring seal provided to fit in        faucet flow bore,    -   iii) and threadably attaching the screw to the faucet stem so        that the O-ring is received in said flow bore to seal off        between the shank and the bore.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as thedetails of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understoodfrom the following specification and drawings, in which:

DRAWING DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a section taken through an existing conventional faucetassembly;

FIG. 1 a is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the method ofsealing in the FIG. 1 faucet;

FIG. 2 is a section taken through a faucet embodying the invention,employing an O-ring seal;

FIG. 2 a is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the method ofsealing in the FIG. 2 faucet;

FIG. 3 shows the FIG. 2 faucet in open condition; and

FIG. 4 shows the O-ring assembled to a retention screw, as used in FIGS.2 and 3, and providing a kit in a container, to be sold as in hardwarestores as a replacement seal and retainer, for use in a homeowner'sfaucet needing seal replacement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 1 a, an existing faucet 10 includes abody 11 defining upper and lower interior chambers 12 and 13. Inlet 14delivers liquid such as water to chamber 13, for controlled flow througha bore 15 in interior wall 16. An upwardly projecting annular valve seat17 is formed at the upper end of the bore. When the valve is opened,liquid flows through the bore and past the seat to upper chamber 12, anddischarges at spout 19.

A valve stem 30 is movable upwardly to open the valve, and downwardly toclose the valve. Handle 22 is rotatable to control upward and downwardstem movement, and interengaged threads 23 and 24 carried on the stemand on the body offset stem movement, as the handle is rotated.

Referring to FIG. 1 a, an annular rubber washer 25 is carried by thestem 30 to downwardly engage the seat 17, for sealing. A screw 26 holdsthe washer in position, within a cavity 27 in a stem flange 28. Skirt 29bounds the washer periphery. The washer has flat, horizontal upper andlower sides 25 a and 25 b, and lower side 25 b deteriorates due torotary rubbing or frictional pressure contact with narrow width seat 17,which tends to “groove” the washer.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 2 a, the washer 25 has been removed, and anew replacement seal installed. That seal is in the form of an annularO-ring 31 positioned so that it does not press downwardly on metallicseat 17, and avoids rubbing rotary frictional contact with that narrowwidth seat, thereby avoiding the groove formation problem. The valvestem and O-ring are typically characterized by one or more of thefollowing:

-   -   i) the o-ring fits in the bore 15, between lateral surfaces 27        and 32 defined by the valve stem and screw head; and between        longitudinal annular surfaces 15 a and 33 defined by the bore        and the screw shank,    -   ii) the top level of the O-ring is at or proximate a horizontal        plane defined by the seat,    -   iii) the valve stem defines a metallic lateral and annular        surface 27 engaging the seat, radially outwardly of the top        level of the O-ring,    -   iv) the valve stem defines a metallic skirt 29 surrounding the        seat, and spaced from O-ring 31,    -   v) the O-ring typically consists of an elastomeric material,    -   vi) radially outermost extent of the O-ring engages the bore at        15 a spaced below the level of the seat 17.

Also, the engagement of the stem surface 27 and seat 17 defines ametal-to-metal annular seal or stop, spaced upwardly and radiallyoutwardly of the annular seal defined by engagement of the O-ring withthe bore. Further, the screw head 26 defines a flat annular surface 32directly below the major extent of the O-ring. The screw head flatannular surface 32 has a periphery 32 a directly below and medially ofthe outer ½ of the bulk of the O-ring. In FIG. 2 a, the O-ring is notcompressed, when the surface 27 engages seat 17.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the method ofrepairing a faucet having a seat defining a bore, a valve stem, and anexisting flat annular seal to annularly engage the seat above the bore,and a retention screw, with a replacement seal includes:

-   -   i) removing the retention screw and removing the existing        defective annular seal,    -   ii) installing an O-ring seal on the shank of the screw, or a        replacement screw, the O-ring seal provided to fit in the bore,    -   iii) and threadably attaching the screw to the stem so that the        O-ring is received in the bore to seal off between the shank and        said bore.        As referred to, the method of use includes advancing the stem        toward the bore, to engage the metal stem with the metal seat,        above the level of O-ring sealing with the bore, whereby a dual        sealing action is achieved. Should the outer surface of the        O-ring wear, in use, the O-ring will still seal due to liquid        pressure exertion on the seal, tending to expand it against the        bore.

FIG. 4 shows a kit 60 that includes a container 61, and replacementparts 26 and 31 within the container, for example to be sold to ahomeowner, for faucet repair, including seal replacement. O-ring 31 maybe bond attached to the screw shank 26 a, or to screw head surface 32.

1. For use in a faucet, which includes a) a seat defining a bore, b) anda valve stem movable toward and away from the seat, the improvementcomprising c) a shoulder screw threadably attachable to the stem, andhaving a head to locate in alignment with said bore, and a shank, d) anda non-metallic O-ring extending about the screw shank to be retained inthe bore between said screw head and said valve stem, e) the O-ringsized to seal off between said shank and said bore.
 2. The improvementof claim 1 wherein the O-ring fits in the bore, between lateral surfacesdefined by the valve stem and screw head; and between longitudinalannular surfaces defined by the bore and the screw shank.
 3. Theimprovement of claim 1 wherein the top level of the O-ring is at orproximate a horizontal plane defined by the seat, the O-ring having anouter diameter less than the seat diameter.
 4. The improvement of claim1 wherein the valve stem defines a metallic lateral and annular surfaceengaging the seat, radially outwardly of the top level of the O-ring. 5.The improvement of claim 4 wherein the valve stem defines a metallicskirt surrounding the seat, in outwardly spaced relation to the O-ring.6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the O-ring consists of anelastomeric material.
 7. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the radiallyoutermost extent of the O-ring engages the bore, below the level of theseat.
 8. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the engagement of the stemsurface and seat defines a metal-to-metal annular seal, spaced upwardlyof the annular seal defined by engagement of the O-ring with the bore.9. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the screw head defines a flatannular surface directly below the lowermost extent of the O-ring. 10.The improvement of claim 9 wherein said screw head flat annular surfacehas a periphery directly below medial extent of the bulk of the O-ring.11. The method of repairing a faucet having a seat defining a bore, avalve stem, and a defective flat annular seal to manually engage theseat above the bore, and a retention screw, with replacement including:i) removing the retention screw and removing the annular seal, ii)installing an O-ring seal on the shank of said screw, or a replacementscrew, the O-ring seal provided and sized to fit in said bore, iii) andthreadably attaching the screw to the stem so that the O-ring isreceived in said bore to seal off between the shank and said bore, andin alignment with a screw head defined by the screw.
 12. The method ofclaim 11 including advancing the stem toward said bore, to engage theseat, without compressing the O-ring.
 13. A faucet seal repair kit,comprising: i) the improvement as defined in claim 1, ii) and acontainer in which said improvement screw and O-ring are received, formarketing.
 14. The kit of claim 13, wherein the O-ring is bonded to asurface or surfaces defined by the screw.